Medical student abuse: perceptions and experience

Summary. A questionnaire containing 18 vignettes of common clinical educational situations with potentially abusive treatment of medical students and a 10-item attitude assessment about abusive behaviour were administered to the first-and fourth-year medical students at a mid-west US university medical school. The first- and fourth-year groups did not differ significantly on perceived abusiveness of most of the vignettes, although several of the individual vignettes were perceived significantly differently by the two groups. As hypothesized, the fourth-year students had experienced such situations more frequently. Attitudes towards abusive behaviour did not differ between the two groups. The authors contrast teaching interactions perceived as educationally useful and not abusive with those seen as abusive and not useful and offer explanations for the differences observed. Finally, the possible implications of the results for medical education are discussed.     

MANAGEMENT OF UNCONTROLLED GLAUCOMA WITH THE MOLTENO SYSTEM

In glaucomatous eyes refractory to medication, laser techniques and conventional drainage surgery, intraocular pressure is often high, and visual loss rapid. In this situation a reliable, robust artificial outflow system is required. Molteno has evolved a plastic tube and plate device combined with a fibrosis suppression medication regimen. Thirty-eight eyes of 32 patients with uncontrolled glaucoma were treated with the Molteno system. Six months after operation mean intraocular pressure had been reduced from 41.0 ± 13.6 to 16.2 ± 5.6 mmHg. Eighteen eyes had pressures of 20 mmHg or less on no hypotensive therapy, 17 on reduced treatment. Three eyes had a pressure of 21 to 35 mmHg on treatment at six months. The 13 aphakic eyes responded as well as 25 phakic eyes. Five eyes with rubeotic glaucoma demonstrated pressures of less than 20 mmHg without therapy, four eyes with traumatic glaucoma required continuing medication with three having pressures below 22 mmHg. Of the seven eyes with uveitic glaucoma, one was lost, two required maintenance therapy; five of six surviving eyes had pressures below 20 mmHg. Fifteen eyes with congenital or juvenile glaucoma achieved pressures below 20 mmHg, three of these with timolol drops, three with timolol and acetazolamide, and nine with no treatment. While seven of seven eyes with refractory primary open-angle glaucoma attained pressures below 20 mmHg. all seven needed continuing mild hypotensive therapy. Eleven eyes underwent a one-stage procedure, while 27 eyes required a two-stage operation. Twenty-eight eyes received fibrosis suppression medication after the second stage, and 24 maintained or improved their preoperative visual acuity. Results have been encouraging: in general the Molteno system is recommended as the second drainage operation in all glaucomatous eyes in which conventional therapy has failed, and as the primary surgical procedure (after laser techniques) in eyes with rubeotic and uveitic glaucoma. Ciliary body destructive procedures should be restricted to control of symptoms in blind eyes.     

Color Flow Doppler Observations on Mitral Valve Flow in Tamponade

We studied the M-mode and two-dimensional imaging of color Doppler mitral flow in eight patients with pericardial effusion and tamponade, and in ten control subjects. Pulsed-Doppler recordings of mitral flow were also obtained in all. Marked phasic changes (presumably respiratory) were consistently recorded in all patients with tamponade with respect to brightness, hue, width (duration), and length of the M-mode Doppler color stream; in these patients, phasic changes were noted in width, length, and color of the mitral flow stream on the two-dimensionalechocardiographic recording, with reciprocal changes in tricuspid flow. In the normal subjects, only minimal fluctuations in these color Doppler characteristics were present. Phasic differences in flow velocity of mitral flow by pulsed Doppler were found between the tamponade and the control groups. Large phasic fluctuations in various characteristics of color Doppler mitral flow on M-mode and two-dimensional imaging may constitute yet another echocardiographic sign of tamponade. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 8, September 1991)     

Terminal care: improving teamwork in primary care using Significant Event Analysis

Significant Event Analysis can be used to improve the effectiveness of a Primary Health Care Team caring for terminally ill patients. A method of doing this is described in detail. Positive team qualities were confirmed and enhanced. Significant areas for improvement were identified: insufficient information had been given to some key workers, changes in medication had been poorly planned, continuity of care, and emotional and professional support of team members were inadequate. A strategy for change was developed and implemented. Performance was reviewed a year later. It was found that the Significant Event Analysis had caused changes in team practices, and was valid and reliable enough to be used as a tool for improving teamwork in primary care in future.     

Posterior Mediastinal Bronchogenic Cyst Compressing Left Atrium

The echocardiographic literature contains exceedingly few reports of mediastinal bronchogenic cyst; in most published cases of this entity, the cysts were imaged by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Because mediastinal bronchogenic cyst is little known as a cause of cardiorespiratory symptoms, we report such a case.     

CONGENITAL RICKETS Study of the Evolution of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Abstract. A case of congenital rickets of nutritional origin is described in a light-for-date premature infant (gestational age 34 weeks, birthweight 1100 g). X-rays of the long bones showed spread, frayed and cupped metaphyses at birth and at the age of 16 days. Serum calcium was 8.2 mg/100 ml, phosphorus 3.4 mg/100 ml and alkaline phosphatase (A.P.): 323 IU/ml (N≤200) at the age of 3 days. Very high level of serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) was found at the age of 16 days=295 μlEq/ml (N≤50). Evidence of maternal vitamin D deficiency was demonstrated by low plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-CC): 1.0 ng/ml (N: 13.2±4.2) soon after delivery; it was found to be normal (10.2 ng/ml) six months later. Ca infusion (15 mg/kg/3 h) resulted in a marked fall of serum iPTH (280 to 84 μlEq/ml). Administration of vitamin D₂ (2400 IU/day for 10 days) induced some healing of the metaphyses; A. P. remained elevated (400 IU/ml); plasma 25-OH-CC was normal 10.2 ng/ml and serum iPTH was 115 μlEq/ml. When 25-OH-CC was given orally for ten days (15 μg/day), plasma 25-OH-CC rose to 64.5 ng/ml with a minor change of serum iPTH (94 μlEq/ml); X-rays of the bones showed osteoporosis. These results suggest a reduced conversion of 25-OH-CC into 1–25-(OH)₂-CC.     

A Reappraisal of the Mitral B-Bump (B-Inflection): Its Relationship to Left Ventricular Dysfunction

A prolonged AC interval, decreased PR - AC interval, and a B-inflection ("bump" or "notch") on the mitral AC slope, have been widely regarded as evidence of abnormally high LVEDP for the last 16 years. However, several groups have questioned the reliability of these signs as predictors of high LVEDP. In 50 patients subjected to LV catheterization, we found no correlation between LVEDP and the AC interval or PR - AC interval. A better correlation was obtained between the presence of a B-inflection and diminished LV ejection fraction on angiocardiography. In our series, the B-inflection was noted in 1/19 patients with LVEDP < 15 mmHg as well as LV ejection fraction > 55%, but it was present in 7/10 patients with LVEDP over 15 mmHg, as well as LV ejection fraction < 55%. When properly recorded, the presence of a B-inflection is a useful sign of significant LV dysfunction.     

Familial Dysalbuminemic Hyperthyroxinemia

ABSTRACT. Jensen IW, Faber J (Department of Endocrinology, Aalborg Hospital North, Aalborg, and Departments of Internal Medicine and Clinical Chemistry, Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark). Familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia. Acta Med Scand 1987; 221:469–73. A family with familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia is described. The syndrome is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and is characterized by marked elevation of serum thyroxine, due to increased binding of thyroxine to albumin, whereas serum triiodothyronine is normal. Serum free thyroxine is normal when measured with ultrafiltration or equilibrium dialysis, but artefactually high when measured with an analogue assay. The importance of the condition, which is harmless, lies in the misinterpretation of values with subsequent erroneous treatment of thyrotoxicosis. By using an ultrasensitive TSH method it is possible to discriminate between euthyroid and hyperthyroid patients and thereby to avoid incorrect diagnosis in subjects with euthyroid hyperthyroxinemia.